Jerome Samson Named AHL Player Of The Month; First Team All-Star

Well done Samson. I look forward to watching you and the rest of the Rats in the playoffs – and at Camp in September.

And first team forward with Aucoin and Giroux of the Bears? – pretty nice company to be keeping.

I always liked the play of samson and was very puzzled by the move of Aucoin to the bears…as and when he is called up…it never seems quite long enough to get really settled in so that he could possible make a difference for the Caps…but such is the live of & in Pro Hockey huh ??

Is it warm enough for everyone ?? Go Canes

While we’re thinking about Albany, the Times-Union reports that the Rats, #4 goalie (Behind Peters, Murphy and Pogge), Mike Morrison has been re-assigned to ECHL. Meaning Murphy’s hand is good to go back-up. And they say Pogge’s LBI is getting close to healed too. Suddenly too many goalies to carry.

The Hurricanes front office has some difficult decisions ahead. On the merits of their play and the quality of their talent, players such as Samson, Dalpe, and Osala deserve a roster spot next season. The first round draft choice, if a forward, will also challenge for a roster spot. If one subtracts the untouchables, that leaves Brind’Amour, Samsonov, LaRose, and Cole as the forwards with their roster spot at risk. All four have a very high salary compared to their goals which is one way to quantify whether a player offers value to the team. High goals scored and low salary = high value. Low goals scored and high salary = job at risk. Add a history of injury or over 30 to the equation and the asset value quotient is low.

  Brind’Amour;‘s issue is the easiest to solve. Jim Rutherford needs to buy out Brind’Amour. Samsonov really ought to be traded if that can be done in the off-season. Similarly, I think as between LaRose and Cole, only one can conceivably remain on the team through 2010-2011. Cole probably fills a role that at the moment the Hurricanes don’t have depth — a big, fast, physical forward. On the other hand, Cole’s serious neck injury and lack of soft hands is well-discussed. LaRose’s role in the intangible area is also well-recognized and appreciated; however, in the NHL a team can only keep two to three 5’10" 180 lb players. Boychuk and Whitney are not going anywhere. So the battle is between Dwyer and LaRose. Given LaRose’s salary and his low goal production, and the limitations of his game due to his lack of sophisticated, soft hands, and lack of a nuanced passing game, Dwyer has the higher asset management value or productivity/salary.

  Jim Rutherford has also been known to pull rabbits out of the hat, and it at least theoretically possible that Jim Rutherford would bundle LaRose and Cole for Horton. Florida wants out of Horton’s contract and Horton wants out of Florida badly. LaRose and Cole have contracts that expire in 2010-2011; so Florida would get two roster players and would then be able potentially to trade them at the trade deadline. Rutherford would free salary in that trade and would be able to put Horton on the first line with either Jokinen/Staal/Horton or Whitney/Staal/Horton.

   With that trade or a similar trade, the Hurricanes can use their first round pick for a talented defenseman. Unless Toronto makes a final push, Edomonton and Boston will take Hall and Seguin; and the next three picks are likely to be defensemen — barring something unusual occurring in the first five picks.

   As it relates to next season, the Hurricanes can upgrade their physicality and speed by taking advantage of the talent in Albany; and they can use their draft picks to replenish the talent pool of prospects. My guess is that Samson and Dalpe will take roster spots out of training camp; and that the trade deadline Osala has a roster spot. Also, with the Hurricanes’ history of injuries during the season, some roster spots are also likely to open up for the Rats (soon to be the Checkers).

   From the organization’s financial standpoint, having younger, less expensive players, who happen to have more natural talent than the players they replace is a huge bonus. The organization gains time to build its season ticket holder base and can offer the excitement of young, fast, big, physical, talented players to its fan base. That situation is a classic win-win situation.

despite losing to Norfolk last night 2-1 thanks to a loss by Bridgeport & Lowell …the rats are in the PLAYOFFS for sure !! i haven’t read if they will gain home ice advantage yet as i was under the impression that the Rats needed to get a win,and a loss by Lowell…hmmm further “review” is in order huh / but in closing it is great to see that players like Samson are getting the reconigtion they deserve…but i am still pissed at the RATs front office for sending Pistilli back down the day after his getting the AHL Award for all of his humanitiarian efforts…